New Navy Pier Plans, McCormick CTA Renderings Revealed

Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s administration Wednesday revealed details about two initiatives they said would amount to $1.1 billion in investment: a new 10,000-seat arena for DePaul University located across the street from McCormick Place, and an overhaul to Navy Pier — the city’s largest tourist attraction.

“Wave Wall” (Courtesy Navy Pier)

(Courtesy Navy Pier)

(Courtesy Navy Pier)

Navy Pier’s remodeling, which includes a new water feature and an expansion of the Children’s Museum, will total $278 million. Future phases of the project will involve redesigned public and commercial spaces along the pier, additional dining space, and a new park featuring a bicycle flyover on the pier’s west end.

A sketch of some proposed developments for the area around McCormick Place. (Courtesy McCormick Place Complex and Navy Pier / TVS Design)

The $140 million DePaul basketball arena plan calls for an additional $33 million in public TIF funding for land acquisition and streetscaping. A sky bridge would connect McCormick Place West to the arena, which would double as an event center for shows smaller than McCormick Place is accustomed to. It would be between Cermak, Prairie, 21st and Indiana streets. Two hotels — one 500-room boutique hotel and a 1,200 “headquarters hotel” announced last year — would round out the area’s new development.

Also previously announced, Ross Barney Architects will design a new CTA Green Line station for McCormick Place, on the south side of Cermark and 23rd Street. New renderings reveal a bit more about the project, expected sometime in 2014. Emanuel’s team made the announcements on the first day of the Mayor’s third year in office, and the initiatives reflect his oft-repeated promotion of tourism and trade shows in the city. McCormick Place is the largest convention center in North America.

Renderings of the proposed CTA ‘El’ station at McCormick Place-Cermak St. (Courtesy Ross Barney Architects)

Renderings of the proposed CTA ‘El’ station at McCormick Place-Cermak St. (Courtesy Ross Barney Architects)

Renderings of the proposed CTA ‘El’ station at McCormick Place-Cermak St. (Courtesy Ross Barney Architects)